The ‘reluctant’ bride-to-be of Monaco’s Prince Albert had her passport taken away to prevent her fleeing today’s £50million royal wedding, it was claimed yesterday. Charlene Wittstock was said to have had the document confiscated by police at Nice airport as she apparently attempted to fly to her native South Africa on a one-way ticket.
The 33-year-old former Olympic swimmer is reported to have been trying to leave Monaco after hearing a rumour that her groom had fathered a third illegitimate child. Lawyers for Prince Albert, 53, have said categorically that the rumour is false.
But the extraordinary claims mean that when Miss Wittstock walks down the aisle, at 4pm UK time, she will do so under a cloud of suspicion. A senior Monaco detective, who was involved in the later stages of the ‘incident’ at Nice airport, confirmed: ‘Charlene had her passport confiscated so that the Prince’s entourage could persuade her to stay.’ And respected French newspaper Le Figaro reported: ‘This speculation has been given credibility by the indiscretions of the Monaco police. Last Sunday, one among their number revealed that his colleagues had intercepted the future princess at Nice airport because she wanted to leave. According to this officer, the young lady’s passport was taken.’ Following the alleged incident, Miss Wittstock returned to her gilded life, but Prince Albert is said to have been furious at the rumours, taking his bride-to-be on a high-profile tour of his principality to prove to the world the wedding was still very much on.
Last night the lavish three-day celebrations got under way with an open-air concert by The Eagles. It meant Miss Wittstock spent her final night as a commoner in the grand palace as the lyrics to the band’s biggest hit, Hotel California, drifted across the harbour: ‘You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!’
Prince Albert’s first illegitimate child is Jazmin, 19, whose mother is Tamara Rotolo, a U.S. estate agent. His second, Alexandre, seven, was born to former air hostess Nicole Coste, from Togo. He issued fierce denials before DNA tests proved he was the father in both cases. Yesterday, the prince’s lawyer Thierry Lacoste poured scorn on the fresh allegations in Paris news magazine L’Express, which stands by its story. ‘I heard everything about the child – white, black, who has been born, not yet born ... it has to stop,’ he said. ‘There is no child, it’s a totally false rumour and absolutely without foundation.’
Meanwhile, Miss Wittstock’s father Mike told a South African radio station last night that the only time his daughter had come close to an aircraft recently was to fly to Paris to buy a hat and shoes for her wedding. It had nothing to do with her boarding a one-way flight back home, he said.
The 33-year-old former Olympic swimmer is reported to have been trying to leave Monaco after hearing a rumour that her groom had fathered a third illegitimate child. Lawyers for Prince Albert, 53, have said categorically that the rumour is false.
But the extraordinary claims mean that when Miss Wittstock walks down the aisle, at 4pm UK time, she will do so under a cloud of suspicion. A senior Monaco detective, who was involved in the later stages of the ‘incident’ at Nice airport, confirmed: ‘Charlene had her passport confiscated so that the Prince’s entourage could persuade her to stay.’ And respected French newspaper Le Figaro reported: ‘This speculation has been given credibility by the indiscretions of the Monaco police. Last Sunday, one among their number revealed that his colleagues had intercepted the future princess at Nice airport because she wanted to leave. According to this officer, the young lady’s passport was taken.’ Following the alleged incident, Miss Wittstock returned to her gilded life, but Prince Albert is said to have been furious at the rumours, taking his bride-to-be on a high-profile tour of his principality to prove to the world the wedding was still very much on.
Last night the lavish three-day celebrations got under way with an open-air concert by The Eagles. It meant Miss Wittstock spent her final night as a commoner in the grand palace as the lyrics to the band’s biggest hit, Hotel California, drifted across the harbour: ‘You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!’
Prince Albert’s first illegitimate child is Jazmin, 19, whose mother is Tamara Rotolo, a U.S. estate agent. His second, Alexandre, seven, was born to former air hostess Nicole Coste, from Togo. He issued fierce denials before DNA tests proved he was the father in both cases. Yesterday, the prince’s lawyer Thierry Lacoste poured scorn on the fresh allegations in Paris news magazine L’Express, which stands by its story. ‘I heard everything about the child – white, black, who has been born, not yet born ... it has to stop,’ he said. ‘There is no child, it’s a totally false rumour and absolutely without foundation.’
Meanwhile, Miss Wittstock’s father Mike told a South African radio station last night that the only time his daughter had come close to an aircraft recently was to fly to Paris to buy a hat and shoes for her wedding. It had nothing to do with her boarding a one-way flight back home, he said.
Look who's turned up
Mother of Prince Albert's illegitimate son spotted strolling through Monaco
With impeccable timing, this is the former air hostess who had an illegitimate child with Prince Albert... pictured walking through Monaco just a day before his wedding. Nicole Coste, 39, originally from Togo, gave birth to her son Alexandre in August 2003 after an affair with Prince Albert.
Ms Coste's appearance could not come at a worse time after reports that Prince Albert's fiancee Charlene Wittstock had her passport confiscated after trying to catch a flight from Nice airport following rumours he had fathered a third child out of wedlock.
Ms Coste, who is now a French citizen, said she met the prince during a flight in 1997 and the pair later had a relationship. But the former Air France hostess' appearance in Monaco is likely to be just a coincidence. She lives just five miles away from Monaco in an estate in the town of Villefranche-sur-Mer provided for by Prince Albert.
In October 2006, Prince Albert gave an interview on U.S. TV host Larry King's show in which he said his children would not be in line for the Monaco throne, but would be taken care of financially. He also said they would be in line to inherit some of his personal fortune, estimated at more than one billion dollars.
With impeccable timing, this is the former air hostess who had an illegitimate child with Prince Albert... pictured walking through Monaco just a day before his wedding. Nicole Coste, 39, originally from Togo, gave birth to her son Alexandre in August 2003 after an affair with Prince Albert.
Ms Coste's appearance could not come at a worse time after reports that Prince Albert's fiancee Charlene Wittstock had her passport confiscated after trying to catch a flight from Nice airport following rumours he had fathered a third child out of wedlock.
Ms Coste, who is now a French citizen, said she met the prince during a flight in 1997 and the pair later had a relationship. But the former Air France hostess' appearance in Monaco is likely to be just a coincidence. She lives just five miles away from Monaco in an estate in the town of Villefranche-sur-Mer provided for by Prince Albert.
In October 2006, Prince Albert gave an interview on U.S. TV host Larry King's show in which he said his children would not be in line for the Monaco throne, but would be taken care of financially. He also said they would be in line to inherit some of his personal fortune, estimated at more than one billion dollars.
